Quick connect and disconnect fluid conveying coupling

ABSTRACT

A fluid conveying connection coupling comprising two identical couplings which, when connected to the end of two fluid conveying flexible lines, can be leaklessly attached to each other to join the lines and simultaneously therewith, permit flow of fluid therein and self-sealingly interrupt the flow upon disconnecting the couplings.

United States Patent Inventor John T. Rauen Detroit, Mich; Appl. No,847,872 Filed Aug. 6, 1969 Patented Mar. 2, 1971 Assignee the UnitedStates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army QUICKCONNECT AND DISCONNECT FLUID CONVEYING COUPLING 5 Claims, 10:DrawingFigs.

US. Cl l37/6l4.04 Int. Cl. F161 37/24 Field of Search 137/614.04,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,201,151 8/1965 Westveer137/614.04 3,217,746 11/1965 Voisine l37/6l4.04

Primary ExaminerWilliam F. ODea Assistant Examiner-William H. WrightAttorneys- Harry M. Saragovitz, Edward J. Kelly, Herbert Berl andMaxwell L. Wallace ABSTRACT: A fluid conveying connection couplingcomprising two identical couplings which, when connected to the end oftwo fluid conveying flexible lines, can be leaklessly attached to eachother to join the lines and simultaneously therewith, permit flow offluid therein and self-sealingly interrupt the flow upon disconnectingthe couplings.

PATENTED HAR 2mm SHEET 2 OF 4 mm N m /W m PATENTEUHAR 21971 3566918sumuura /4 7 TOR/V575 QUICK CONNECT AND DISCONNECT FLUID CONVEYINGCOUPLING The invention described herein may be manufactured, used andlicensed by or for'the Government for governmental purposes withoutpayment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a fluid conveying coupling which automaticallyprovides a free flow of fluid under positive and /or negative pressureupon connection of the couplings terminating two fluid conveying lines,increases its fluid sealing ability under fluid pressure, and whereineach coupling member automatically seals itself upon disconnection andstops flow therefrom.

Another object is to provide a coupling sealed against ingress of waterwhich, upon freezing, can prevent quick disconnecting; and sealed.against ingress of sand, and other foreign matter, which can jam thecoupling connecting mechanism, and thereby prevent coupling anduncoupling of fluid conveying lines of military ground equipment and/orvehicles.

A further object is to provide a coupling of a'limited overall size andhaving the least amount of fluid flow resistance for a given diametersize fluid conveying flexible hose line.

A still further object is to provide a coupling adapted to be connectedto another coupling, identical with itself, having abutting ends whichare drawn by each coupling toward the other and into more forcefulengagement and leak-proof sealing at their abutted ends when subjectedto the internally conveyed fluid pressure and as the fluid pressureincreases, which otherwise tends to separate the couplings and increaseleakage at the abutted ends.

Another object is toprovide a coupling which when uncoupled preventsspilling of fluid in the disconnected lines.

A still further object is to provide a coupling which while beingconnected, indicates partial versus full connection whereby it can bereadily visually determined that the coupling has or has not beenproperly connected.

A further object is to provide a coupling that can be rotated to beconnected without having to rotate the line being connected, and can bereadily connected and disconnected by hand.

Another object is to provide a coupling adaptedto be connected to oneidentical with itself whereby fluid conveying lines of the samediametrical size are not prevented from being connected on account ofboth line ends having been inadvertantly terminated with unmatedcouplings which can occur with the conventional type plug and socketcouplings.

A still further object is to support the fingers of the connect-- ingmechanism whereby they become subjected only to tension forces.

Another object is to provide means enabling centralization of a firstcoupling relative to a second coupling by using said first coupling toguide said second coupling into initial con nection.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear more fully fromthe following more detailed description and from the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an external view of two identical couplings joined together;

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1 in the direction of arrows 2-2 showingangular alignment of projections;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIGS. 2 and 4 taken substantially alongline 3-3 of FIGS. 2 and4 showing only one coupling;

FIG. 4 is an external view taken substantially along line 4-4 FIG. 9 isa partial sectional view showing the commencement of connecting twocouplings, shown fully connected in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 a fragmentary view of a modification of finger constructionshowing angular contact whereby bending forces on finger is neutralizedby tension forces.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 12, 14, FIG. I, designate a pairof identically formed opposed couplings constructed of metal, or othersuitable materials. Because of identical construction only one coupling14 will be described in detail and when necessary corresponding parts ofcoupling 12 will be identified in the drawings by like primed numbers.

As shown best in -FIG. 3, coupling 14 comprises a housing generallyindicated by numeral 16. Housing 16 is cylindrical in shape as at 22 andhas formed integrally therewith encircling integrally formed bandportions 24, 26, 28, portion 24 having formed therein a circumferentialgroove 30, the same being adapted to receive a'yieldably sealing O-ring32. Portion 28 has formed therein a circumferential groove 34, the samebeing adapted to receive a yieldable sealing O-ring 35. Portion 26 isscalloped around its periphery to provide a plurality of protrusions 36.FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, to facilitate manual rotation of housing 16 ofcoupling 14 and housing 16 of coupling 12, during connecting of thecouplings hereinafter fully described. When the couplings 12 and 14 arefully connected, the protrusions 36 of each coupling are axially alignedwith each other, FIGS. 1 and 2, and thereby visually indicated thisconnected state .to an observer or inspector of the connections; ahighly desirable feature of a coupling.

A generally indicated cylindrical member 39 adapted to be rotatablydisposed within housing 16 is provided, the same having formed on oneend thereof a hexagonally shaped portion 38 having an interiorallythreaded opening 40 therein, adapted to receive a threaded fluidconveying conduit, or the like, not shown. The opposed end of member 39is also threaded, as at 42, the same being adapted to engage threads 44formed on a portion of valve stationary member 45. A movable valvemember, indicated generally by 46, consists of a head 47 and an integralcylindrically shaped shank 48, said shank being slidably disposed withinvalve member 45 and having a spring member 49 mounted thereon, the samebeing.

retained by a collar 50 (which also serves as a pilot, morefullydescribed hereinafter), said spring nesting between said collar 50and a shoulder 51 formed in valve member 45 to urge valve 46 towards itsclosed position. Valve shank 48 has openings 52 formed in the wallsthereof permitting fluid to flow through the valve when unseated, asshown in FIG. 8. Head 47 also has formed therein a circumferentialgroove 53 adapted to receive a yieldable sealing O ring54.

A clutch member 20 is provided with a slot 55, FIGS. 3 and 6, having apin 56 located therein to limit the rotation of cylinder 22, relativethereto; pin 56 being retained in cylinder 22. I

A snap ring 57 is provided, FIG. 3, the same being located in a groove58 in valve member 45 and provides a shoulder against which the cylindermember 39 is stopped to enable tightening of the threads 42 and 44 toretain the members 39 and 45 together whereby all other members of thecoupling are also held in place, or assembled. For the purpose of aidingin the above-described tightening of the threads 42 and 44, the slots 59and 60 areprovided in the end of the valve member 45, FIGS. 3 and 4. Thethreads 42 and 44 are tightened before the valve movable members 46, 49and 50 are installed within the. valve stationary member 45, which isaccomplished by first installing the member 46, followed by the springmember 49 and then, while forcing the valve 46 towards its seat andholding the valve so seated, force the collar member 50onto the shank 48of the valve 46.

A plurality of fingers 64, integrally formed on clutch 20, FIGS. 3, 5, 7and 8, are interposed between couplings I2 and 14, said fingers beingformed with external teeth 66 extending radially outward beyond themaximum diameter of the cylinder portion of clutch 20, whereby duringconnection of coupling 14 with coupling 12, teeth 66 engage the internalteeth 68 of housing 16' by rotation of each housing 16, 16 relative toeach other through the arc of slot 51 in each clutch member 20 and 20.The fingers 64 are placed equally upon clutch member 20 and with a fewthousandth of an inch circular clearance between fingers 64 and theirmating slots 72 and with a similar amount of diametrical clearance aboutthe maximum diameter of collar member 50. The shank 48, of valve 46, isdisposed concentrically, axially and slidably within the stationaryvalve member 45, the latter member being provided with a conical seat 70for the O-ring 54.

The manner in which the device operates is as follows:

As explained herein both coupling units 12 and 14 are identical instructure and when connecting to two flexible fluid conveying lines,adapted to be threaded into the couplings 12 and 14, at 40, the twounits are brought into axial alignment, as shown in FIG. 9, whereby thefingers 64 are brought into alignment with slots 72, FIGS. 4, 7 and 9,and each coupling 12 and 14 concentrically aligned with the other by thecollars 50 and 50' piloting the fingers 64 and 64, FIG. 9. Each coupling12 and 14 is then forced toward each other and into contact with eachother, FIG. 8. In the fully engaged position of FIG. 8, the housings 16,16 can be rotated oppositely relatively to each other, an amount limitedby slots 55 and 55' and pins 56 and 56' FIG. 6. During this rotation ofthe housings 16, 16' the internal teeth 68, 68, of the housings 16, 16'are brought circularly into axial alignment with external teeth 66 and66' of clutches 20 and 20'. While the latter mentioned rotation isoccurring, the clutches 20,20 cannot rotate since the fingers 64, 64' ofeach clutch 20, 20' are in the slots 72, 72 of the opposing clutches.The couplings 12 and 14 are now fully connected and during the processthe valves 46, 46' are fully opened, FIG. 8, and held axially rigid inthat position by abutment of valve shanks 48, 48, whereby fluid flowingthrough the couplings can neither further open the valve 46, nor closethem, nor cause them to move more than minutely, whereby a possiblechattering noise is precluded.

The sealing O-ring 54 prevents leakage of fluid when valves 46 areclosed and sealing ring 32 prevents leakage between cylinder body 22 andcylindrical body 37.

The couplings 12 and 14 are disconnected by steps, the reverse of thatabove-described. When disconnected, the coupling valves 46, 46' returnto their closed position by action of springs 49,49, FIG. 3. Fluidpressure in the fluid conveying lines terminated by the coupling, drivesthe valves 46, 46' upon their seats 70,70 with force additional tosprings 49, 49.

It will be seen from the above-description that when the two couplingmembers are in interlocked relationship by the unique locking meansherein disclosed and in cooperation with the new and unique clutchingmeans wherein each coupling pulls the opposing coupling towards itself,whereby the connected couplings 12 and 14, are held together in suchmanner as to increase the clutching force upon the abutted surfaces 74,74' and O-rings 35, 35, as the internal fluid pressure increases, andwhereby the units are so sealed as to prevent loss of fluid from withinthe units and to prevent entrance into the coupling of foreign matter.

FIG. illustrates a modified construction of fingers 64 wherein the teeth76 thereof substitute for the teeth 66, as shown in FIGS. 3, 7, 8 and 9.The teeth 76 are provided with an angular surface 78 which mates withinternal teeth 80 of housing 16 having the same angular surface. Theangular surface of 80 provides support for teeth 76 to relieve fingers64 of a bending load which occurs with teeth 66 and 68; in the lattermentioned case, the stationary valve member 45 supports the fingers 64,as shown in FIG. 8.

Housing member 16 includes a shoulder 81 extending diametrically inwardof said housings internal diameter 82. Said shoulder forming an abutmentfor member 39 in one axial direction of said housing member 16 and anabutment for member in the opposite axial direction thereof, wherebymembers 20 and are centralized and axially retained within the housingmember 16. The shoulder 81 also retains the pin 56. A predetermined fewthousandth of an inch axial movement of members 20 and 39 within housingmember 16 is provided by shoulder 81. v

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for 0bviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Iclaim:

1. In fluid conveying couplings of the type disclosed comprising:

a pair of identical coupling means each consisting of, a

housing member;

an end member adapted to be rotatably disposed within one end of saidhousing member;

said end member having a threaded opening in one end to receive aconduit;

a threaded opening at the other end of said end member adapted toreceive and support a valve means within said housing;

fluid conveying ports disposed within said valve means, spring meansadapted to urge said valve means to its closed position;.

a clutch member rotatably interposed between said housing member andsaid valve means and axially retained in said housing member by saidvalve means and said end member,

said clutch member including a plurality of fingers, including teeth;

said housing member including a plurality of teeth adapted to engagesaid teeth of said clutch member upon connecting said coupling means;

said clutch member being adapted to cooperate with said housing memberin such manner as to predeterminately limit rotary movement of saidhousing member relative to said clutch member, whereby, when saididentical coupling means are brought into connecting relation, saidclutch allows said limited rotary movement of said housing member toeffect interlocking of said teeth of said clutch member and said teethof said housing member to prevent axial disengagement of said identicalcoupling means;

said connecting of said coupling means simultaneously activating saidvalve means allowing said fluid ports in said valve to open for passageof fluid thcrethrough;

said housing member including retaining means adapted to cooperate withsaid clutch member and said end member to axially retain saidlast-mentioned two members within said housing member, whereby;

said coupling means as connected by said clutch member and said housingmember tend to pull each coupling means toward the other by action ofsaid spring means augmented by fluid pressure internal of said couplingmeans, and whereby; and

increasing of internal fluid pressure increases the sealing effect atthe abutting faces of said housing member of said coupling means toprevent fluid leakage at said abutting faces.

2. A fluid coupling as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said valve means comprises a valve body member;

a movable valve member including said flow ports; and

said spring means partially surrounding said movable valve member andadapted to move said movable valve member axially within said bodymember to close said fluid ports once said coupling means have beendisconnected.

3. A fluid coupling as set .forth in claim I, wherein:

said coupling means are provided with a plurality of knobs angularlydisposed upon said housing member to facilitate hand rotation of saidhousing member during said connecting of said coupling means;

said housing member being rotatable relative to said clutch memberwithin limits determined by a rotary indexing means operably disposed insaid housing member and said clutch member so that during saidconnecting of said coupling means, rotation of said housing; member of afirst coupling means to its locked position, as determined by saidindexing means, and rotation of said housing member of said secondcoupling means to the locked position thereof; and said knobs of saidfirst and said second coupling means said housing members become axiallyaligned to indicate that both coupling means are completely interlocked.4. A fluid coupling as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said clutch memberand said housing member are adapted to be rotated independently of saideach member.

1. In fluid conveying couplings of the type disclosed comprising: a pairof identical coupling means each consisting of, a housing member; an endmember adapted to be rotatably disposed within one end of said housingmember; said end member having a threaded opening in one end to receivea conduit; a threaded opening at the other end of said end memberadapted to receive and support a valve means within said housing; fluidconveying ports disposed within said valve means, spring means adaptedto urge said valve means to its closed position; a clutch memberrotatably interposed between said housing member and said valve meansand axially retained in said housing member by said valve means and saidend member; said clutch member including a plurality of fingers,including teeth; said housing member including a plurality of teethadapted to engage said teeth of said clutch member upon connecting saidcoupling means; said clutch member being adapted to cooperate with saidhousing member in such manner as to predeterminately limit rotarymovement of said housing member relative to said clutch member, whereby,when said identical coupling means are brought into connecting relation,said clutch allows said limited rotary movement of said housing memberto effect interlocking of said teeth of said clutch member and saidteeth of said housing member to prevent axial disengagement of saididentical coupling means; said connecting of said coupling meanssimultaneously activating said valve means allowing said fluid ports insaid valve to open for passage of fluid therethrough; said housingmember including retaining means adapted to cooperate with said clutchmember and said end member to axially retain said last-mentioned twomembers within said housing member, whereby; said coupling means asconnected by said clutch member and said housing member tend to pulleach coupling means toward the other by action of said spring meansaugmented by fluid pressure internal of said coupling means, andwhereby; and increasing of internal fluid pressure increases the sealingeffect at the abutting faces of said housing member of said couplingmeans to prevent fluid leakage at said abutting faces.
 2. A fluidcoupling as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said valve means comprIses avalve body member; a movable valve member including said flow ports; andsaid spring means partially surrounding said movable valve member andadapted to move said movable valve member axially within said bodymember to close said fluid ports once said coupling means have beendisconnected.
 3. A fluid coupling as set forth in claim 1, wherein: saidcoupling means are provided with a plurality of knobs angularly disposedupon said housing member to facilitate hand rotation of said housingmember during said connecting of said coupling means; said housingmember being rotatable relative to said clutch member within limitsdetermined by a rotary indexing means operably disposed in said housingmember and said clutch member so that during said connecting of saidcoupling means, rotation of said housing; member of a first couplingmeans to its locked position, as determined by said indexing means, androtation of said housing member of said second coupling means to thelocked position thereof; and said knobs of said first and said secondcoupling means said housing members become axially aligned to indicatethat both coupling means are completely interlocked.
 4. A fluid couplingas set forth in claim 1, wherein: said clutch member and said housingmember are adapted to be rotated independently of said each member.
 5. Afluid coupling as set forth in claim 1, wherein; said clutch member isof such axial length as to cooperate with a pilot means disposed withinsaid clutch member when said coupling means are disconnected; wherebysaid clutch member said fingers of one coupling means can be axiallymeshed with said clutch fingers of said second coupling means during thestart of connecting said couplings; and said fingers being piloted ontosaid pilot means to centralize said first coupling relative to saidsecond coupling and thereby facilitate connecting said couplings.